June 14, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 09, 1429

KARACHI, June 13: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) seems to have failed in fulfilling its obligation by not reprimanding those national sports federations which are flouting their constitutions.

The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is one such example.

The Islamabad-based PTF has not convened its annual general body meeting since the last quadrennial elections that took place more than two years back which is a clear violation of its constitution, what to speak of declining standard of the ball-game.

Dilawar Abbas was re-elected unopposed at the helm of affairs for second term in the elections held on April 2, 2006.

The constitution of the PTF which was amended on Jan 11, 2004 says: “The Annual General Meeting [AGM] of the Council constituted in accordance with Article 17 shall be held annually at a place, date and the time selected by the Committee of Management and/or the President.”

Secondly, the PSB issued no warning to the PTF when Pakistan reached an all-time low in Davis Cup last year and spent millions of rupees on officials’ foreign joyrides.

Another lapse on the part of the PTF is that most of its 15 affiliated units are ‘inactive’ and over the years have failed to organise national ranking tournaments which is mandatory in a year.

The 15 units which come under the umbrella of the PTF are Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan, Army, PAF, Navy, POF Wah, HEC, Islamabad, Wapda, Railways, PIA, Veterans Tennis Association and International Club of Pakistan.

“The Pakistan Tennis Federation has decided to forfeit the voting rights of its affiliated units not organising at least one national tournament in a calendar year.”

“If the affiliated members do not adhere to this decision for two years running, their membership would be cancelled,” Dilawar had told Dawn on January 12, 2004 following the federation’s AGM which also adopted the newly amended constitution.

If one goes by the statement of PTF president and clause 35 of the PTF’s amended constitution, at least 12-13 unit stand disqualified.

Believe it or not but it is a fact that only a single ranking tournament was held in Karachi under the aegis of STA during the first six months of 2008.

Another ranking tournament exclusively for ladies was also held at Islamabad by an NGO.

It is time the PSB should adopt strict measures for checks and balances to arrest the decline and malpractices of the NSF’s.